Şiş Kebab (Turkish Grilled Cubed Lamb Skewers)

About This Recipe

Şiş kebab (şiş kebabı) — from the Turkish şiş (skewer) — is one of the oldest and most elemental forms of cooking in Anatolia: seasoned meat threaded onto a sword-like skewer and held over fire. Unlike kofte or köfte (which uses ground meat), şiş uses chunked whole muscle meat — typically lamb shoulder for its ideal fat content — cut into even pieces and marinated in a mixture that tenderises and flavours without masking the quality of the lamb itself. The Turkish marinade is elegantly simple: onion juice (never chopped onion, which chars and burns), olive oil, black pepper, and dried thyme or oregano. No tomato paste, no yogurt in the traditional Istanbul and Anatolian versions — those additions belong to later restaurant adaptations. The kebab is cooked over genuine charcoal for the smoke that gas cannot replicate, turned every 2 minutes to ensure even cooking and charring on all sides. Served alongside charred tomatoes and green peppers on a bed of lavash bread with a scatter of sumac-rubbed onions and yogurt, şiş kebab is Turkish cooking at its most honest and most delicious.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 800 glamb shoulder(cut into 3cm cubes, fat left on)
• 1 largeonion(grated; juice squeezed into the marinade)
• 4 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tspblack pepper
• 1 tspdried thyme or dried oregano
• 1 tspsalt
• 4 wholetomatoes(for grilling)
• 4 wholelong green peppers (sivri biber)(for grilling)
• 1 largeonion(thinly sliced, tossed with sumac for serving)
• 1 tbspground sumac(for onion salad)
• 2 largelavash or flatbreads(for serving)
• 4 tbspthick yogurt(for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate the lamb

   Grate the onion and squeeze all the juice into a large bowl — discard the solids or use for another purpose. Add olive oil, black pepper, dried thyme, and salt. Add the lamb cubes and toss thoroughly. Cover and marinate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight in the fridge.

   Using only the onion juice (not the grated pulp) prevents charring of the onion on the grill while still imparting its flavour.

2. 2

   Thread the skewers

   Thread the marinated lamb pieces onto metal skewers, leaving small gaps between cubes for heat to circulate. Do not pack too tightly. Aim for 5–6 pieces per skewer.

3. 3

   Prepare sumac onions

   Toss thinly sliced onion with sumac, a pinch of salt, and a squeeze of lemon. Scrunch with your hands until the onion softens slightly and turns pink. Set aside.

4. 4

   Grill over charcoal

   Grill the skewers over hot charcoal or very high heat, turning every 2 minutes for 10–12 minutes total. The lamb should be charred and slightly caramelised on the outside with a pink, juicy interior. Grill the tomatoes and peppers alongside, turning, until charred and softened.

   For best results use a charcoal grill. On a gas grill, pre-heat to maximum and use the highest setting for the char.

5. 5

   Rest and serve

   Rest the kebabs off the heat for 3 minutes. Warm the lavash briefly on the grill. Lay out the bread and arrange the kebabs, grilled vegetables, and sumac onions on top. Serve with thick yogurt.

Variations

• •

  Tavuk şiş: substitute boneless chicken thigh pieces; marinate identically and grill for 8–10 minutes.

• •

  Mixed şiş platter: alternate lamb cubes with chunks of green pepper and onion on the skewer for the restaurant presentation.

Storage

Grilled şiş kebab is best eaten immediately. Leftover cooked kebab keeps in the fridge for 2 days; reheat in a hot pan to revive some char. Raw marinated lamb keeps in the fridge for 24 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions